novelhk Chapter 250 Deep Sea Sword Cry, Dragon Slayer Faces Swallow Return
Chapter 250 Deep Sea Sword Cry, Dragon Slayer Faces Swallow Return
Chapter 250 Deep Sea Sword Cry, Dragon Slayer Faces Swallow Return
Outside the massive bubble shield of Fishman Island, Captain John's ghost ship, like a bloodthirsty shark, slammed into a bubble wall that had suddenly become even more solid, producing a dull thud, but failed to break through immediately.
"Hmm? These bubbles—" Captain John frowned; he could sense that the shield's strength was far beyond what was usually seen.
Inside the Dragon Palace, King Neptune breathed a sigh of relief: "Fortunately, with the energy provided by that being, ordinary attackers would definitely not have been able to get in—"
However, this reinforced shield was not enough to completely stop intruders.
At the bow of the ghost ship, the silent dragon-slaying swordsman Ryuma slowly took a step forward.
He didn't even fully draw the famous sword Qiushui from his waist; he merely pushed the sword lightly with his thumb, revealing an inch of its gleaming blade.
"Night-Shining Melody - Straight Through".
A slash, as thin as a black line that seemed capable of cutting through space, silently burst forth from his fingertips and instantly struck the bubble shield in front of him!
There was no earth-shattering explosion; the reinforced shield was precisely cut open, like butter sliced by a hot knife, leaving a clean gap large enough for a ship to pass through!
The seawater formed a turbulent eddy at the breach, and the ghost ship, riding the eddy, brazenly entered the inner sea of Fishman Island. "What?!" Inside the Dragon Palace, everyone's expression changed drastically. It broke through the reinforced shield so easily?!
"Hehehe!! Well done, Ryoma!"
Captain John laughed as he directed the ghost ship to speed toward the Dragon Palace.
"My minions! Prepare to land! Wealth, slaves, and that powerful heroic spirit! They're all ours!"
At the port, the Crusaders' fleet bore the brunt of the attack.
Diamante was shocked to see how arrogant the other party was, having only one Heroic Spirit and completely disregarding them.
Because Ryoma's aura was restrained when he attacked, Captain John was more like a commander.
Seeing that the other person was also a swordsman, yet insisted on sheathing his sword upon seeing him, a surge of anger welled up in his heart.
"You bastards! How dare you ignore us, the Cross Society!"
Diamante roared, his body becoming flat and gigantic like a flag, and he used the power of the Flutter Fruit to charge forward, his longsword stabbing at Ryuma, who had just sheathed his sword like a venomous snake!
"Go to hell! Half a month for your funeral!"
This sword strike carried all of Diamanti's anger and domineering spirit, its momentum immense, enough to easily cut through steel.
However, Ryoma merely raised his eyes slightly, his empty eye sockets seemingly glancing at him.
Just as Diamanti's sword tip was about to touch him, Ryoma's figure shifted slightly to the side like a ghost.
Swish!
A faint flash of light appeared.
Diamanti's forward charge suddenly froze, and the longsword in his hand broke in two.
A thin line of blood appeared on the ornate armor on his chest, and blood slowly seeped out.
He looked down in disbelief, then let out a scream. His massive body deflated like a punctured balloon, slamming heavily onto the deck, rendered incapable of fighting.
One blow! With just one blow, Diamanti, a cadre of the Cross Society, was seriously injured and collapsed to the ground!
"Boring."
Ryoma uttered two words indifferently, not even glancing at Diamanti, his gaze still fixed on the direction of Ryugu Castle.
"Lord Diamanti!" The pirates of the Cross Guild panicked.
On the other end of the video Den Den Mushi, Doflamingo's face instantly darkened.
"Fufufu—Diamanti, you're still too impulsive!"
While he was annoyed by Diamanti's recklessness, he was even more shocked by Ryoma's strength. Even through the Den Den Mushi, he could feel the sword intent that had been condensed to the extreme.
"It seems the other side has a decent swordsman."
In the Dressrosa laboratory, Mihawk, who had been closely monitoring the situation, suddenly flashed a sharp light in his eyes, and his hand was already on the hilt of the Black Blade Yoru.
"Oh! A dramatic turn of events!" Shakespeare twirled in the air.
"A powerful swordsman has appeared! Instantly defeating the arrogant challenger! That ruthless stance, that precise strike! Perfect!"
Just as Mihawk was about to ask Doflamingo for a teleportation, Kojiro stepped forward and calmly spoke.
"Master, please leave such an opponent to me."
Mihawk looked at him.
Kojiro smiled slightly, a gentle smile that carried the confidence of a swordsman.
"As fellow swordsmen, such an opponent is worthy of a fight. Moreover, the Master is a pillar of the guild and should not be acted upon lightly. My own sword, Swallow Return, may be able to test its edge."
Doflamingo's voice came through the communicator: "Fufufu, Kojiro, are you confident?"
Kojiro bowed slightly: "I will do my best."
"Alright!" Doflamingo made a quick decision.
"Caesar! Activate that still unstable spirit particle transfer device! Target: Fishman Island Port. Teleport Kojiro there!"
In the laboratory, Caesar frantically operated the instruments: "Oh—! Whosday!"
"6
"Although he is a Heroic Spirit and has a higher adaptability to spirit particle transfer, such precise teleportation over such a long distance consumes a great deal of energy!"
"And stability—"
"Stop talking nonsense! Hurry up!" Doflamingo urged.
After a blinding flash of lightning and a distortion of space, Kojiro's figure slowly emerged on the deck of the Crusaders' flagship in Fishman Island's port.
He was still dressed in his traditional swordsman attire, holding a long sword with a calm demeanor, completely out of place with the tense atmosphere around him.
His sudden appearance caused Ryoma, who was about to continue forward, to stop in his tracks.
Ryoma's empty eye sockets turned to Kojiro, and for the first time, he showed a hint of interest.
"A swordsman?" Ryoma's voice was slightly hoarse.
The people he had met earlier, such as Shiliudiamanti, were nothing more than children who treated swords as toys in his eyes.
This one was indeed someone who made him utter the word "swordsman." Kojiro looked at Ryoma, his gaze sweeping over the Shusui sword at his waist, feeling the sword intent that was of the same origin as his own yet completely different, and nodded slightly.
"My name is Sasaki Kojiro. Your swordsmanship is superb; you defeated your enemy with a single strike, which is truly admirable. May I ask your name?"
"Ryoma," Ryoma replied simply, his hand resting on the hilt of Shusui's sword once more.
"Your sword—is peculiar. It seems—to transcend the boundaries of common sense."
Kojiro chuckled: "I only know a little bit about shortcuts. Judging from your name, it seems to be the same as that of a hero from my hometown. I wonder—"
Ryoma interrupted him, his tone still calm: "The name is irrelevant. The sword is what matters."
"Draw your sword, swordsman from afar, and let me witness your sword of supremacy."
"As you wish." Kojiro slowly drew his long sword from its sheath. The blade was long and narrow with a beautiful curve, gleaming with a chilling luster.
The two swordsmen, though several meters apart, had already locked onto each other with their auras.
An invisible pressure emanated from the two of them, causing everyone around them—whether they were pirates from the Cross Guild, members of the Blackbeard Pirates, or guards from Fishman Island—to feel their breath catch and involuntarily retreat.
The battle in the port area seemed to have temporarily stopped, and everyone's attention was drawn to the two swordsmen who were about to duel.
On the other side, Captain John, seeing that Ryoma was being stopped, didn't care. He grinned as he looked towards the direction of Ryugu Castle, as well as the Fishman Island guards who were on high alert and Jinbe with a serious expression.
"Hehehehe!! Fishman!" Captain John shouted.
"How about that? See how powerful we are? That kid Teach now possesses divine power and is about to usher in a new era!"
"If you know what's good for you, surrender obediently, cooperate with all our operations, and hand over that heroic spirit named Noah. I can put in a good word for you with Captain Teach, making you and this island heroes of the New World!"
Shen Ping's expression was calm as he assumed the starting stance of Fishman Karate.
"The spirits of the old era, Fishman Island will never yield to evil. Noah is the guardian vessel, not something you can covet!"
"Hmph! Stubborn fools!" Captain John sneered, then looked at the Cross Society pirates.
"And you guys too! The Cross Society, right? The stuff that Doflamingo kid came up with."
"For the sake of being fellow pirates, if you surrender to us now, I'll let bygones be bygones for that piece of trash's offense against Ryuma! Otherwise—hmph!"
The pirates from the Cross Society looked at each other, glancing at Diamante lying unconscious on the ground, then at Kojiro confronting Ryuma, unsure of what to do.
Doflamingo's cold voice came through the video Den Den Mushi.
"Fufufu—Blackbeard wants to swallow me whole? Dream on! Listen up, members of the Cross Society, help Fish-Man Island deal with Blackbeard!"
With Dover's orders, the remaining pirates of the Cross Society immediately turned their guns on Captain John and his Blackbeard Pirates, joining the Fish-Man Island Guard.
A chaotic battle erupted in the port area!
Seeing this, Captain John laughed in fury, "Fine! Fine! Go to hell, all of you!"
He drew his scimitar, unleashing a powerful aura of dominance and predatory magic, and personally charged at Jinbe!
Jinbe showed no fear and unleashed the Fishman Karate Secret Technique: Buraikan, a massive water cannon that collided fiercely with Captain John's sword!
boom!
Water and energy splashed everywhere as the two engaged in a fierce battle.
Captain John is incredibly strong, with unpredictable swordsmanship, and exudes a greedy aura that seems to devour everything.
Jinbe, relying on his solid Fishman Karate and rich combat experience, fought steadily, and for a time it was difficult to determine a winner.
On other battlefields, the Fishman Island Guard and the Cross Guild Pirates joined forces and barely managed to hold off the Blackbeard Pirates' elite attack, but the situation remained far from optimistic.
All eyes were involuntarily drawn to the center of the duel between the two swordsmen. The outcome there might directly affect the entire battle.
In the center of the port, the standoff between Kojiro and Ryoma has reached its climax.
Without warning, the dragon horse moved!
His figure vanished from the spot as if by teleportation, and in the next instant he appeared beside Kojiro. Shusui, with its chilling light, drew a perfect arc and slashed straight at Kojiro's neck!
"Dawn Song - Aurora Flash!"
That slash was faster than anything you could see!
However, Kojiro seemed to have anticipated this, and Kenmei struck first despite being behind, raising his blade at an incredible angle and precisely aiming at the weakest point of Shusui's blade!
bite-!
A clear and melodious metallic clang rang out, sparks flying everywhere!
The dragon horse's sword strike was blocked, and its body paused slightly.
Kojiro used the momentum to glide backward several meters before landing steadily.
"As expected—your sword can see beyond the line. Could it be that you have already attained the realm of emptiness?!"
A faint light shone in Longma's empty eye sockets, and even his expression became fiery.
Kojiro stood with his sword in hand, his breathing steady.
Upon hearing about the Garden of Sinners, Kojiro sighed deeply: "No, I am still far from being good enough."
"Your sword is as swift as lightning and as refined as steel, reaching the pinnacle of skill. But my sword seeks reason, to penetrate the void without thickness."
"Reason? The inanimate enters the space between things?" Ryoma repeated in a low voice, as if trying to understand.
"Interesting—then take another strike from me! Nightfall Song: True Hachiman!"
Ryoma's figure suddenly split, as if he were slashing at Kojiro from eight directions at the same time!
Each strike was incredibly solid, carrying the will to sever everything!
Kojiro's eyes narrowed slightly, and the sword seemed to come alive in his hand, drawing endlessly changing patterns.
The longsword appeared heavy, but it was actually light and agile, like a swallow darting among willow branches, precisely meeting the eight slashes.
Ding ding ding ding————!
A dense, pounding sound, like raindrops hitting banana leaves, rang out!
The flashing blades completely engulfed the two figures!
The dissipating sword energy sliced the surrounding ground and ship wreckage to pieces! Those watching were utterly horrified!
"That human dressed as a ronin—could he also be a Heroic Spirit? But his name barely appeared in the news about the Holy Grail War."
"Yes—there are too many monsters among the Heroic Spirits, but let's not forget that ordinary Heroic Spirits are no pushovers either!"
This is a duel between top swordsmen, something that is simply beyond human capability!
Amidst the fierce exchange, Kojiro's voice remained calm: "Lord Ryoma, are you aware of the Swallow Return?"
Before he finished speaking, the movement of his hands suddenly accelerated.
The trajectory of the blade seemed to transcend the limitations of space, incredibly slicing through three different angles, like a swallow returning to its nest, bypassing Longma's impenetrable defenses, and piercing straight into his chest!
Longma's pupils shrank sharply. At the critical moment, Qiushui returned to defend and barely blocked this miraculous sword strike!
However, the tip of the knife still left a shallow scratch on his kimono.
The two separated again and stood facing each other.
Longma looked down at the scratch on his chest, remained silent for a moment, and slowly sheathed Qiushui completely.
"It was me—who lost by half a move." His voice remained calm, yet carried a hint of barely perceptible relief.
"Sasaki Kojiro—I'll remember that name. Your Swallow Return: truly transcends the realm of technique."
Kojiro sheathed his sword and bowed slightly: "You flatter me. Ryoma's swordsmanship is divine; I was merely fortunate to have achieved this."
There was no murderous intent between the two swordsmen; instead, there was a sense of mutual respect and appreciation between them.
However, Ryoma's surrender did not mean the end of the battle.
On the other side, Captain John was both shocked and furious to see that Ryoma was being blocked and even at a disadvantage, so he launched an even more frantic attack.
Although Jinbe was able to hold them off with difficulty, the Fishman Island Guard and the Cross Guild Pirates were beginning to show signs of defeat under the fierce attack of Blackbeard's elite forces.
"Hehehehe!! Ryoma! What are you doing?! Quickly finish that guy off!" Captain John roared as he fiercely attacked Jinbe.
Ryoma, however, seemed not to hear, and simply watched Kojiro quietly.
Kojiro's gaze swept over the precarious battlefield, his brow furrowing slightly.
He knew that simply holding off Longma was not enough to turn the tide of the battle.
The greedy Captain John, along with the elite members of the Blackbeard Pirates, remains a significant threat.
Kojiro resumed his offensive stance: "Come on, Lord Ryoma. We are all on our deathbeds; with one more move, I will kill you—"
Ryoma was visibly excited upon hearing this, and he adopted the most serious fighting stance he had ever taken since being summoned.
"I couldn't ask for more!"